Details
EINSTEIN, ALBERT. Autograph letter signed ("Albert") to Mileva Einstein-Maric, n.p., 24 October [1925]. 2 pages, 4to, 285 x 225 mm. (11¼ x 8¾ in.), year in dateline supplied in blue ink by another hand.
MILEVA THREATENS TO WRITE HER MEMOIRS
AN EMOTIONAL OUTBURST DIRECTED AT MILEVA: "WHEN I READ A LETTER FROM YOU, I FEEL LIKE A CRIMINAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN I CAN'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. IN REALITY I ALWAYS DID ALL THAT WAS HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER AND TO IMPROVE IT. IF YOU HAD GIVEN ALBERT INSTRUCTIONS TO BRING BACK PUBLICATIONS OF MINE, HE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF THEM. OF COURSE, I COULD SEND THEM TO YOU, BUT ... I HAVE NO [MORE] OFFPRINTS OF MY MOST IMPORTANT WORKS...IF I SEND YOU LESS IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS OF WHICH I DO HAVE OFFPRINTS, IT WOULDN'T HELP YOU MUCH, AND YOU WOULDN'T READ THEM ANYWAY. YOU AND THE CHILDREN CAN HAVE AS MANY MEMENTOS AS YOU WANT FROM ME, NOW AND AFTER I AM DEAD, YOU ONLY NEED TO ASK. FROM BRAZIL I BROUGHT YOU THE BLANKET AND THE BEAUTIFUL BRAZILIAN BUTTERFLY COLLECTION AND THE CACTUSES, PERHAPS IN A CLUMSY MANNER BUT WITH GREAT CARE. NOTHING THAT I DO IS APPRECIATED. ALL I GET FROM YOU IS DISSATISFACTION AND DISTRUST. I DON'T TAKE IT BADLY ANYMORE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT I AM DEALING WITH SOMEONE ABNORMAL. YOU MADE ME LAUGH WITH YOUR THREAT OF YOUR MEMOIRS. DOESN'T IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT NOT EVEN A CAT WOULD GIVE A DAMN FOR SUCH SCRIBBLINGS IF THE MAN WITH WHOM YOU WERE INVOLVED HADN'T HAPPENED TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING IMPORTANT? IF A PERSON IS A CIPHER, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN REPROACH HIM WITH. HOWEVER, ONE SHOULD BE NICE AND MODEST AND KEEP ONE'S MOUTH SHUT, THAT IS MY ADVICE TO YOU. BUT IF THE DEVIL DOESN'T LET GO OF YOU, THEN IN GOD'S NAME WRITE WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO. I'VE HAD TO PUT UP WITH SO MUCH NONESENSE FROM OTHER PEOPLE, THAT I CAN FACE YOURS CALMLY. NOW I HAVE POURED MY HEART OUT. GO NOW AND LOOK INTO YOURSELF HUMBLY AND DON'T GROUSE THE WAY YOU USUALLY DO. IF I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T BOTHER TELLING YOU MY OPINION IN THIS WAY...I'M NOT ANGRY BUT AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN...".
MILEVA THREATENS TO WRITE HER MEMOIRS
AN EMOTIONAL OUTBURST DIRECTED AT MILEVA: "WHEN I READ A LETTER FROM YOU, I FEEL LIKE A CRIMINAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN I CAN'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. IN REALITY I ALWAYS DID ALL THAT WAS HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER AND TO IMPROVE IT. IF YOU HAD GIVEN ALBERT INSTRUCTIONS TO BRING BACK PUBLICATIONS OF MINE, HE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF THEM. OF COURSE, I COULD SEND THEM TO YOU, BUT ... I HAVE NO [MORE] OFFPRINTS OF MY MOST IMPORTANT WORKS...IF I SEND YOU LESS IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS OF WHICH I DO HAVE OFFPRINTS, IT WOULDN'T HELP YOU MUCH, AND YOU WOULDN'T READ THEM ANYWAY. YOU AND THE CHILDREN CAN HAVE AS MANY MEMENTOS AS YOU WANT FROM ME, NOW AND AFTER I AM DEAD, YOU ONLY NEED TO ASK. FROM BRAZIL I BROUGHT YOU THE BLANKET AND THE BEAUTIFUL BRAZILIAN BUTTERFLY COLLECTION AND THE CACTUSES, PERHAPS IN A CLUMSY MANNER BUT WITH GREAT CARE. NOTHING THAT I DO IS APPRECIATED. ALL I GET FROM YOU IS DISSATISFACTION AND DISTRUST. I DON'T TAKE IT BADLY ANYMORE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT I AM DEALING WITH SOMEONE ABNORMAL. YOU MADE ME LAUGH WITH YOUR THREAT OF YOUR MEMOIRS. DOESN'T IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT NOT EVEN A CAT WOULD GIVE A DAMN FOR SUCH SCRIBBLINGS IF THE MAN WITH WHOM YOU WERE INVOLVED HADN'T HAPPENED TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING IMPORTANT? IF A PERSON IS A CIPHER, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN REPROACH HIM WITH. HOWEVER, ONE SHOULD BE NICE AND MODEST AND KEEP ONE'S MOUTH SHUT, THAT IS MY ADVICE TO YOU. BUT IF THE DEVIL DOESN'T LET GO OF YOU, THEN IN GOD'S NAME WRITE WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO. I'VE HAD TO PUT UP WITH SO MUCH NONESENSE FROM OTHER PEOPLE, THAT I CAN FACE YOURS CALMLY. NOW I HAVE POURED MY HEART OUT. GO NOW AND LOOK INTO YOURSELF HUMBLY AND DON'T GROUSE THE WAY YOU USUALLY DO. IF I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T BOTHER TELLING YOU MY OPINION IN THIS WAY...I'M NOT ANGRY BUT AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN...".